Do cost effective inkjet printers exist?

fredthefish

Hi,

I am going around in circles trying to find a cost effective colour inkjet printer.

My sister needs one for weekly newsletter printing and the occasional medium-quality photo printing for kids' progress files etc (she's starting out as a childminder) and I'm struggling to find anything that I'd feel confident recommending as they all seem !!!!. !!!! reviews, !!!! quality, expensive ink, combined colour cartridges, "multifunction" aka "!!!! you'll never use and just adds to the number of things to break"...

So just wondering whether anyone has already gone through this process and come up with something which is any good?

E.g. is there a single colour inkjet printer which fits the following criteria:

• Sub £100
• 4x separate cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow, black)
• Print heads are built into the printer rather than the cartridge
• Well priced, third party cartridges available - e.g. we used to get a full replacement (all 4 cartridges) for £10 for an Epson printer in an old job
• Doesn't make you replace all the colour cartridges just to print a bloody black page
• Not flimsy and !!!! build quality

I would consider laser if it also fit the above criteria - just assuming for now that colour laser printers are going to be prohibitively expensive for my budget.



Thanks.

psychic_teabag

Does the newsletter need to be colour ? Do you have the option of getting a mono laser for the newsletter, and then some other arrangement for the photos (eg a photo-printing service in boots or something) ?

Robisere

I have always used HP Printers, although they can be expensive to run, they are reliable. I have had my 5-cart Photosmart C5380 for almost 7 years now and it prints everything including photos just as well as it did when new. Maybe better, because HP constantly provides updated drivers for any old printer, once the printer is registered on HP site and the Update software is downloaded. This is the best equivalent I found today, as they no longer make the 5380, and it is what I would buy if I had to: -
ebuyer.com type in Search box at top, 715150 - that is the 'QF' or Quick find code. That takes you to the Office Jet 7510 at £63.
It takes 4 cartridges, a 4-pack of which is QF 583981 at £41.49. These are GENUINE HP cart's, which I have always used.

If you would rather have a Canon, there is the MG5750, QF code 728142. Full pack of cart's from Amazon for £37 + £3.49 Delivery.

Hope that helps.

Chino

If your sister is printing regularly, perhaps consider fitting a continuous ink flow system to an inkjet printer?

GunJack

fredthefish wrote: »

Hi,

I am going around in circles trying to find a cost effective colour inkjet printer.

My sister needs one for weekly newsletter printing and the occasional medium-quality photo printing for kids' progress files etc (she's starting out as a childminder) and I'm struggling to find anything that I'd feel confident recommending as they all seem !!!!. !!!! reviews, !!!! quality, expensive ink, combined colour cartridges, "multifunction" aka "!!!! you'll never use and just adds to the number of things to break"...

So just wondering whether anyone has already gone through this process and come up with something which is any good?

E.g. is there a single colour inkjet printer which fits the following criteria:

• Sub £100
• 4x separate cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow, black)
• Print heads are built into the printer rather than the cartridge
• Well priced, third party cartridges available - e.g. we used to get a full replacement (all 4 cartridges) for £10 for an Epson printer in an old job
• Doesn't make you replace all the colour cartridges just to print a bloody black page
• Not flimsy and !!!! build quality

I would consider laser if it also fit the above criteria - just assuming for now that colour laser printers are going to be prohibitively expensive for my budget.



Thanks.

Yes, Epson XP-series, 3-in-1 print/scan/copy, separate inks, compatibles around £8 for 3 full sets, and wifi-enabled For example:-

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3227581.htm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Ink-Cartridges-for-Epson-Expression-Home-XP-225-XP-322-XP-325-XP-422-/251726949548

paddyrg

It's the wrong technology for the job. Inkjet printers are great at colour-accurate high resolution, one-off photo printing, and anything else isn't their most efficient use.

Newsletter - print on mono laser or photocopy a master. If it's a big run, find a local Risograph machine/operator

AndyPix

fredthefish wrote: »

• Sub £100
• 4x separate cartridges (cyan, magenta, yellow, black)
• Print heads are built into the printer rather than the cartridge
• Well priced, third party cartridges available - e.g. we used to get a full replacement (all 4 cartridges) for £10 for an Epson printer in an old job
• Doesn't make you replace all the colour cartridges just to print a bloody black page
• Not flimsy and !!!! build quality

.

!! You dont want much do you !!


As a general rule, manufacturers tend to make/sell these printers for a loss and then pull your pants down on the ink, build in false "end of life" signals in the cartridges etc.


http://www.howtogeek.com/174232/htg-explains-why-is-printer-ink-so-expensive/


So the less you pay for your printer, the more you pay for your ink.


As mentioned above, inkjet really isnt the way to go for anything except the odd document here and there and you really want a laser printer for your job. You will be paying a bit more initially but it should be cheaper in the long run and produce better results.


Andy

chippy2u

I have a Canon MG 5450. 3 colour carts, one large black for text one small black for photos. 5in all. Print heads in printer. Compatible carts from about £5 for complete set of 5 compatibles. Has separate cassettes for plain paper and photo paper and a CD printer. Two sided document printing. About £65 on Amazon but worth checking other suppliers!
Had mine for about a year with no problems. Maybe not the latest model but a good all-rounder.

cajef

I have used Canon printers and found them cheap to run, my first one lasted over six years and I only changed it because I needed a wireless printer.

Bought a Canon Pixma MG 5650 two years ago from Amazon now £64 and similar spec and running costs as the MG5450 above.

fenlander_uk

Trouble is, if you only use an inkjet printer occasionally you'll find the cartridges dry out while the machine is unused. This can make a printer ridiculously expensive on a per print basis.

GunJack

fenlander_uk wrote: »

Trouble is, if you only use an inkjet printer occasionally you'll find the cartridges dry out while the machine is unused. This can make a printer ridiculously expensive on a per print basis.

yes, but the OP's useage would not fit the profile you describe, an inkjet would be ideally suited for their use